The modern office has become exceedingly crowded and cluttered because of the increasing amount of equipment utilized by an office worker, such as a computer and the like. At the same time the need to work with, handle and store large numbers of documents continues to significantly contribute to the overall clutter and crowdedness of the office. Numerous types of closed and opened storage tools, including a wide variety of types and sizes of tools adapted to be mounted on walls or enclosed drawers, have been developed in an effort to provide increased but accessible storage of documents and articles. Many of these tools or accessories, however, either require mounting on a wall or containment in a closed storage unit, or require that bulky or complex overhead storage structures be supported on and project upwardly from a worksurface or table top, and the latter greatly impact both the usability of the worksurface and the openness and visibility afforded a person working at the worksurface.
In recognition of the disadvantages associated with conventional structures of the type summarized above, the present invention relates to a rail-mounted hanging file arrangement which, in a preferred embodiment, can be associated with a rail which readily mounts to a worksurface so as to project along the worksurface in upwardly space relation adjacent a rear edge thereof, with a hanging-file frame being readily attachable to the rail to provide convenient storage for at least a limited number of conventional hanging-type files closely adjacent the worksurface so as to provide convenient access thereto, without requiring cumbersome and complex structures which mount on and obstruct the worksurface.
In the rail-mounted file-hanging arrangement of this invention, a generally horizontally elongated rail is supported in upwardly spaced relationship from the worksurface so as to extend generally along but above the rear edge thereof. The rail defines therein a longitudinally elongated slot which opens generally forwardly of the rail. A file-hanging frame is releasably and easily attached to the rail at substantially any position therealong so that the frame is carried entirely by the rail and projects rearwardly a small distance therefrom to permit conventional hanging-type files to be stored just rearwardly of the rail adjacent the rear edge of the worksurface. The frame arrangement includes a pair of generally parallel side legs which are spaced upwardly from and project rearwardly relative to the support rail. The spacing between the side legs is such as to permit a plurality of hanging files to be suspended therebetween. The hang tabs provided on opposite ends of the files engage the side legs. At their front ends the side legs fixedly join to front legs which project downwardly and also preferably slope inwardly in converging relationship to one another. The front legs at their lower ends respectively join to rearwardly cantilevered securing legs of short extent, the latter being insertable into the slot of the support rail to fixedly but releasably secure the frame to the support rail. The frame is preferably a one-piece structure, such as by being formed in one piece from an elongate metal rod, and in the preferred embodiment includes a generally horizontally elongate rear leg joined between rear ends of the side legs.
The hanging frame arrangement of this invention can be economically manufactured so as to provide a very compact but lightweight structure. The resulting hanging frame arrangement can be readily mounted on or removed from the support rail, and can be positioned substantially at any desired location longitudinally along the support rail to facilitate convenient use thereof. The hanging frame arrangement, when mounted on the rail, permits several hanging-type file folders to be suspended downwardly from the frame closely adjacent the rear of the support rail, and generally within space adjacent a wall if the worksurface is mounted adjacent a wall. The frame also positions the folders such that they are generally positioned above the worksurface and thus are readily visible and accessible to a person using the worksurface. Several such frames can also be easily mounted longitudinally along the support rail if desired.
While the support rail in a preferred embodiment is mounted on one or more stanchions which are secured to and project upwardly from the worksurface adjacent a rear edge thereof, it will be recognized that the support rail can also be cantilevered forwardly from an adjacent wall for disposition above an adjacent worksurface if desired.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, as well as structural and functional variations thereof, will be apparent to persons familiar with this type of working environment upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.